The Resurrection of Evil REVISED
by theconstantdvdcollector
Summary: Back by popular demand and heavily revised by me. After the dramatic events of Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker recruits Ahsoka Tano into the Rebellion and begins looking for Han Solo while the Empire begins construction on a new superweapon
1. Chapter 1

Star Wars: The Rebellion

Written by the Constant DVD Collector

Based on the cinematic Saga by George Lucas

* * *

Story One

Resurrection of Evil

Chapter One

* * *

A large and impressive pentagonal shaped spacecraft known as the _Flurry_ materialized out of Hyperspace and entered a geosynchronous orbit with a swamp and mist covered planet known as Dagobah II. The _Flurry_ was a little smaller than an Imperial-Class Star Destroyer and was pretty much shaped like a giant pentagon with engines on one side and bookending the engine side on each side were impressive docking bays filled to capacity with several squadrons of X-wings, Y-Wings, V-Wings, K-Wings, A-Wings, and the new B-Wing Fighters, as well as three captured Imperial shuttles, eight Imperial Heavy Troop Transports and two heavily modified civilian crafts known as _The Millennium Falcon_ and _The Lady Luck_.

The _Flurry_ had been recently given to Rebel Alliance Commander Luke Skywalker, who had just recently finished his rehab following a traumatic duel with Darth Vader on the planet of Bespin where he had learned that Vader was, in fact, his long-presumed-dead father, Anakin Skywalker. Luke had somehow been taking the news well, but what was really bothering him was that most of the crew had been treating him with unrelenting and unbearable sympathy and pity which was driving him considerably nuts. Currently, Luke was sitting in a command chair behind a desk at the Bridge of the _Flurry_ and was typing an entry in the Captain's log. As he did so, he reached for a mug of a fantastic drink that his friend Lando Calrissian had introduced him to called Hot Chocolate and raised it to his lips only to find that he had drained it dry. His aide-de-camp, a young Maladorian girl who wore pink armor named Sabine Shysa, noticed that and practically flew over to him.

"Is everything okay, sir?" She spoke in a comforting tone.

"Uh, yeah, I just need to get something to drink."

Sabine responded immediately.

"Commander, I am going to get you something to drink. But I promise, I will come back."

Luke responded to the comment with the standard amount of calm, dignity, and grace of any man from the desert planet of Tattooine.

He slammed the mug down so hard it broke and shouted loud enough to raise the dead.

"OKAY! That's it!" Luke shouted, causing everyone on the bridge to whirl to face him in surprise, "I'm tired of everyone treating me with so much pity as it is driving me nuts. Yes, Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker. However, I will not let that interfere or compromise my life in the Rebellion as I am not my father nor am I bound to his fate. And the next person I get treating my with a huge amount of pity and sympathy will get punched in the face! Having said that, I need a painkiller as I now have a headache."

Luke proceeded to storm out of the bridge in shocked silence then stuck his head back into the bridge to speak again.

"Also, Sabine? Announce over the speaker that I want the Wraith Commandos in the central briefing room in 30 minutes."

Sabine saluted shakily and nodded.

"Of course Commander Skywalker."

Luke walked out of the bridge much calmer, leaving the shocked crew members to think over their actions of over-pity.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED!


	2. Chapter 2

Story One

Return to Dagobah

Chapter Two

Luke had stopped by his sparsely decorated quarters on the _Flurry_ to grab a strong anti-headache pill. He calmly popped the pill into his mouth and chased it down with a chug from a water bottle and as he did so, he sensed through the Force that Princess Leia Organa was walking over to his quarters. Luke called out to her just as she knocked on the door.

"It's open."

Leia poked her head in.

"I could hear your screaming all across the _Flurry_. I guess you don't like too much pity."

"I really don't."

"Good. So, as you probably know, we've reached Dagobah."

Luke turned to face Leia as he tossed the biodegradable paper cup into the trash.

"Yeah. It'll be good to speak to Master Yoda again and hopefully get him involved with the Rebellion."

"You think that it is the best of ideas to revive the Jedi Order?"

"I'm not reviving the same Jedi Order as there were a consider amount of problems with the Original Order. The New Jedi Order will be different, I assure you."

They headed down a hallway to the Central Briefing room to find that the Wraith Commando Team were assembling along with several other Rebels who Luke wanted to train to become Jedi including Sabine. Also present were Luke's two droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 as well as the Wookie known as Chewbacca. Leia noticed who WASN'T present and gritted her teeth.

"I _told_ him that he needs to be present for the briefing…" She actually snarled as she started off to the Officers' quarters. Luke called after her as he started the briefing.

"Be nice to him, Leia."

"Not much chance of that!" Leia snapped back as she started looking for Lando.


	3. Chapter 3

Story One

Return to Dagobah

Chapter Three

Leia walked over to the officer quarters onboard the Flurry and ripped open Lando Calrissian's door. She found the gambler sitting in a pair of boxers and his socks, watching cartoons on the holo-net, and eating sugar coated cereal. Leia glared at Lando coldly.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Lando blinked then spoke.

"I'm eating a nutritious breakfast while watching stimulating entertainment." He stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Leia looked at the ingredients list on the box of cereal.

"The only major ingredients in this is sugar and enough chemicals to cause you to grow a third arm. Don't you care about your teeth?"

"I have an excellent dental plan. And since when do you care about my teeth?"

"I don't. I don't care about you at all for turning Han over to Boba Fett and letting him get frozen in Carbonite."

Lando calmly set down his cereal and stood up and started to get dressed.

"You know, the majority of people onboard this ship have forgiven me for my actions back on Bespin, including Luke. Why haven't you?"

Leia grumbled.

"I guess you have a point there."

"I know."

"Don't have to rub it in."

"I wasn't rubbing it in. Believe me, you would know if I was rubbing it in." Lando commented as he threw a shirt on with a pair of jeans and riding boots.

Leia sighed and stuck her hand out.

"Truce?"

"Truce."

They shook on it.


	4. Chapter 4

Story One

Return to Dagobah

Chapter Four

By the time that Lando and Leia had made it back to the briefing room, Luke was finishing the majority of the briefing and had opened the floor up for questions. A young Corellian man named Corran Horn was asking the big question about Yoda.

"Sir, how is this guy going to help us turn the tables against the Empire?"

Luke smiled calmly.

"Look, I was a little skeptical about Yoda myself, and not just because of his short size."

Sabine spoke up.

"What do you mean by that, Commander Skywalker?"

"Let's just say that since he's been living alone on Dagobah for the past 20 years, he's more than a little bit-"

"Totally Insane due to total isolation and self-imposed exile?"

"Off. I think _off_ is a better word than Insane." Luke quickly corrected Sabine as Lando and Leia sat down in the back, "Getting back to your original question, Lieutenant Horn, I thought Yoda was a lot different, but he made me realize that size really doesn't matter in the case of a Jedi. Also, The Rebel Council wants to revive the old Jedi Order, which is kind of hard to do since most of the data about the original Jedi Order was stamped out and destroyed by the Empire during its rise to power."

Horn, who was an ex-Imperial Officer, grumbled at that.

"Well, we Imperials _were_ very good at stuff like stamping out certain rebellious minorities. I have another question: Are we sure that reviving the Old Jedi Order is the best of ideas. At Imperial Academy we were taught to believe that the Jedi Order had grown corrupt and too powerful for the Empire's purposes. I mean, granted that the Imperial way shouldn't be taken as law here, but-"

"I never said that _I_ wanted to revive the Old Jedi Order." Luke explained, "I want to create a better or at least different one that will be suited to the times that we have now."

Murmurs of staunch agreement came from the Wraith Commandos. Luke took a few more questions then wrapped up the meeting.


	5. Chapter 5

Story One

Return to Dagobah

Chapter Five

Luke guided the _Millennium Falcon_ and three other transport ships down to the surface of Dagobah. They landed the four ships down in a much more solid area than the place that Luke had landed last time on Dagobah. The area, which was a nice solid patch of ground, was about seventeen miles north of Yoda's hut. Between the open patch of ground and the hut were thick overgrown forests, deep swamps, and extremely old ruins.

Luke noticed that R2-D2, his little blue and white astromech droid, was trembling as he rolled out into the open, remembering his previous experiences on Dagobah.

"It's okay, Artoo, you don't have to come with us."

Artoo shakily chirped a reply, indicating he was going with Luke to find Yoda. Threepio, on the other hand actually shivered and spoke.

"Master Luke, I think I'll stay behind and keep an eye on things here with some of the crew."

"Good idea, Threepio. May the Force be with you. All of you." Luke spoke as He, Leia, Lando, Sabine, Corran, Artoo, Chewbacca, and about 25 Commandos (plus medics) headed down a path into the forests.

About three hours later found them heading through a group of overgrown ruins full of statues that were covered in mosses and vines. Sabine massaged her feet as she sat next to a statue of a teenaged female Torgrutan Jedi. Luke noticed that a few other members of the party were getting tired and called out.

"30 minute break! Keep an eye out for trouble, though."

Sabine calmly looked at the Statue of the Torgrutan female Jedi and suddenly got a confused look on her face.

"Something seems weird about this statue." She commented to Leia.

"I noticed…All the statues here are of Mogwais. This is the only Torgrutan in this whole field of Statues. Also, there's a lot less plantlife around it."

Leia ran a hand on the statue's abdomen.

"Force…It's carbonite! Luke, this isn't a statue!"

Luke ran over to check the statue.

"You're right, Leia, I can sense a small and weak pulse of life coming from this statue. It's a cryogenically preserved person!"

Artoo looked at the statute then started chirping hysterically, jumping up and down, then scurrying in a circle for a few seconds before zipping over to the statue and rubbing against it.

Luke put two and two together.

"Artoo, do you know this person?"

Artoo chirped and beeped and nodded.

"Okay, what's the best way to get her out of there?" Corran asked, "Because I don't think using a hammer and chisel will do it."

Artoo opened one of his compartments and produced a blowtorch which he ignited and, from a distance, began heating the carbonite off of the Torgrutan girl without burning her skin. The Carbonite steadily began to slide off of the girl's body and within a few minutes, the girl was completely free of the Carbonite, revealing she was an orange Torgrutan with Blue and White Tendrils on her head. She was dressed in simple combat clothing and equipped at her side was a nice looking lightsaber. The Torgrutan girl shakily teetered and began to fall and Luke quickly caught her.

"Valdak!" He shouted at a nearby Aqualish Medic, who ran over with his equipment and examined the Torgrutan girl.

"Commander, she's been in carbonite stasis for a long time, her heart is considerably weak from it. She needs a shot of Adrenaline to continue living." He stated as he gave the Torgrutan CPR and Mouth-to-Mouth, "I think you'll have to administer it. I'm kind of busy keeping her lungs working."

Luke opened up the medi-kit and pulled out a vial of Adrenaline and loaded it into a hypo-syringe-gun.

"What's the instructions for Adrenaline shots?"

Lando pulled out the little black book of information from the Medi-Kit and began leafing through it.

"You know, these things should be in Alphabetic order." He muttered as he looked up Adrenaline, "Okay, you want to pierce her breastplate, so you have to bring the Syringe-gun down in a stabbing motion. After puncturing her breastplate, you pull the trigger."

"And that'll save her?" Luke asked a little worriedly.

"Frankly, I'm interested to see what happens also." Lando commented casually.

"LANDO!" Luke snapped.

"It says it should bring her back to life! Will you give her the shot already, time is brain tissue!"

Luke slammed the syringe-gun down and pulled the trigger into the Torgrutan girl's chest. The effect was instantaneous as the Torgrutan leapt up writhing and screaming in agony.

"WAAAAAAAAAUGH! It stings!" She shrieked while waving her arms hysterically before collapsing from exhaustion.

Luke looked at her and spoke.

"If you are okay…say something…"

"Something?" The Torgrutan girl moaned as she pulled the syringe-gun out of her chest.

"Well, that's original." Corran commented.

Sabine and Leia both slapped him upside the head.


	6. Chapter 6

Story One

Return to Dagobah

Chapter Six

Luke had decided to let the rest of the gang tend to the out-of-it Torgrutan girl who had passed out only after a few seconds from revival. He and Leia, on the other hand, were heading on to Yoda's hut which they hoped the journey would go on without incident.

Well, they got that wrong almost immediately when Luke got a familiar shiver down his spine as they began to walk through a dark cavern underneath a big tree.

"Oh, hell…not this again." Luke groaned.

Leia shivered, despite the lukewarm temperature of the region they were in on Dagobah.

"What's going on, Luke? I feel…cold…and disoriented." She whispered.

"This was a test that Yoda said I failed completely. It's a tree that is consumed by the Dark Side of the Force."

"What? What's in here?"

Luke's voice unconsciously echoed the words that Yoda once said to him only three weeks ago.

"Only what we take with us…" He said with a whisper.

They continued through the strange cavern. Luke was trying to use the Force to keep them from going down the wrong path, but with so much Dark Side energy swirling around him, it was extremely tiring to find the light. Leia shivered in the darkness and placed a hand on the wall to stabilize herself and immediately regretted it as she pulled it away.

"Ew! What'd I just touch?! It smells…"

Luke winced.

"Yeah, I think that was pus."

"Oh, Force! This is disgusting!" Leia wailed, "And I'm pretty sure we're being followed."

"Whatever you do, do not pull out a weapon and just keep going ahead."

"How do you know? You failed this test last time."

"I know because that's what I did wrong that one time."

"Oh."

There was a sudden yell of terror that sounded exactly like:

"Lando? Chewie?" Leia called out.

"That must be me!" Lando shouted back.

Chewie roared a shaky roar.

"What are you doing here?" Luke commented as Lando and Chewie ran over.

"We figured you'd need our help. Chewie knows his ways around big forests, anyway."

"Good point. Thanks you two." Leia stated.

Lando shivered.

"Now, all we have to do is turn up the heat. It's practically like Hoth out here."

They continued on through the Cave of Darkness for what seemed like another hour, though in reality, it was about three minutes, when Luke almost collapsed in exhaustion by falling backwards. Chewie helped him up.

"I'm okay." Luke explained shakily.

"No, you're not. Luke, you're killing yourself by doing everything. Can't I help?"

"Leia, I don't even know if you can use the Force and this isn't the best of places to teach you how to use it to get us out of this nightmare." Luke actually snapped at her.

Leia bristled at that dangerously while Lando responded.

"Luke, she's only trying to help-"

"Lando? Where'd he go?" Leia asked out loud.

"I'm standing right here." Lando exclaimed.

Leia gritted her teeth and snapped back at Luke.

"I was only trying to help, Luke. If you don't want my help, then you can kill yourself with your crazy Force!" She snapped and stormed off.

"Fine!" Luke snapped back and he and Chewie continued on. Lando followed after Leia.

"Leia, I get that we're all stressed, and not just because of the fact that we're stuck in this nightmare cavern, but you can't just blow up at people-"

"Lando? Laaaaaaaando?" Leia called out.

"Not funny, Leia! I-"

A scary thought of realization filled his mind.

"I don't think she can see me. Great, Alone again."

A distorted and sinister voice filled the air as the walls began to bleed.

"_**I SEE YOU!"**_

Lando pulled out his gun and whirled around to see a big bleeding cycloptic disembodied head looming towards him. His nerve failed and he ran down a hallway fast.

Luke grumbled, despite his exhaustion, trying to draw heavily from the very Light energy of the planet of Dagobah itself to illuminate the creepy caverns. As he did so, he started griping to Chewie.

"I can't believe Leia would say that to me. I've been her friend for years and I have always supported her, especially with Han getting kidnapped."

He noticed Chewie had dropped down to the ground and was snarling and drooling like a primal Wookie.

"Chewie? Oh slag, this isn't good. Chewie, you have to fight the Dark Side! It's trying to influence you-"

Chewbacca let loose a blood-curdling roar and swung at Luke. Suddenly, he managed to stop and run away in the opposite direction, leaving Luke alone in the darkness. Luke used some Force Energy to try and calm himself down and stop him from Hyperventilating while at the same time, try to illuminate the caverns again.

Suddenly, a small ball of light appeared before him. Luke smiled.

"Wow, I guess I'm not as bad at this like Leia thinks I am. Better find her."

The Ball of light suddenly divided into multiple balls of light and began swarming Luke.

"Oh slag! Not good! Get off!" Luke shouted as he flailed around and ran.

Leia had fallen into a dirty pit and nearly broke her leg in the process, but (somewhat) fortunately, she had only jarred it but not twisted or broke it. She lay on the bottom of the large pit, gasping for breath, when she heard a shuffling noise in the darkness. Leia looked up to see Han Solo shuffling towards her, with a dislocated neck and one of his eyeballs hanging out of its socket, drooling blood too.

"This has got to be a nightmare." Leia moaned.

"No way, your worshipfulness. This is real!"

Zombies burst out of the ground and started to shuffle towards Leia, who responded by jumping up and opening fire. Zombie Han continued speaking.

"Don't know why you bother, sweetness. We all die anyway."

Leia shot Zombie Han in the forehead and he disintegrated into a flock of black birds. Leia frantically hurried down another cavern, tripped, and crashed into a familiar ruin.

"I'm back in the ruin from earlier!" She exclaimed then she noticed that most of the Rebels were all curled up in balls with horrified expressions of shock and terror on their faces, save for the unconscious Torgrutan girl. Even Artoo was hiding in a corner, trembling hysterically again. She saw Chewie curled up in a ball whimpering and trembling and ran over to comfort him.

"Chewie! Chewie! It's okay! You're okay!"

Chewie snuffled and hugged Leia then got up. As he stood, Luke ran into the ruin, flailing at nothing.

"GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF ME!" He shouted hysterically.

Leia ran over to Luke and hugged him.

"Luke, it's okay, There's nothing there."

Luke panted heavily.

"Oh Force, this is seriously crazy. What is going on?"

Lando grumbled from nearby where he was sitting.

"I'd offer my opinion, but you jerks wouldn't care. I might as well just hang out with my new best friend, Bleeding cyclops head."

Luke punched Lando in the arm.

"What is the matter with you?"

"You-You can see me? Oh thank Force, that's good!" Lando whooped, "I think that Tree separated us and is feeding off of our fears."

Luke nodded.

"The rest of the Rebels must have heard us screaming and went in after us and they fed it as well. All we have to do is get everyone out of here."

Corran staggered up.

"What about just closing our eyes and pretending it's a dream-"

An unholy moan came from the ground.

"_**UNLEASH ME!"**_

"-Then _THAT_ will stab us in the back. This is absolutely real!" Corran shuddered, "I'll lead the escape! This way!" As he headed to the nearest exit.

The Torgrutan girl staggered up and looked at Luke.

"Master Ani, what is going on here? I fell asleep and now everyone is acting crazy! Wait, you're not Anakin Skywalker." She stated.

"We'll do the introductions later. Right now, we need to escape." Luke stated.

Corran shouted over to Luke.

"Small problem, Luke. There's a wall standing where our exits should be!"

"_**UNLEASH ME!"**_ The Unholy moan screamed.

"OH SHUT UP!" Corran snapped.

Suddenly, the wall where the archway into the ruin once stood burst open and a familiar small green man ran in with a lightsaber. Luke shouted.

"Master Yoda!" He exclaimed.

"Good to see you, it is." Yoda exclaimed.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Yoda pointed at a weird symbol on the floor where the Torgrutan girl's carbonite prison had once stood.

"Sealed off this evil, I did, with Ahsoka's statue. Not allow to come into being, you can't."

"What is it?"

"Manifestation of Fear, it is."

Yoda pointed at a small statue of a gastly looking monster in a black coat and a cage built around his head.

"What it looks like, it is."

Lando groaned.

"Yeah, I don't think we should fight that. How do we get it out of here?"

Yoda spoke calmly.

"Destroying the symbol, there is only but two ways. Searing the symbol, with a lightsaber is-"

The Torgrutan girl immediately ignited her lightsaber and slashed at the symbol then smiled at Yoda…

…Who responded in a vaguely patronizing tone.

"Is one of the methods, not, and will immediately manifest Fear Itself."

An unholy roar filled the air and something began to crawl up from the depths of Dagobah. Suddenly, the ghastly looking monster burst out of the ground…

…and was only three inches tall. Luke, Leia, Lando, Chewie, Yoda, Corran, Sabine, Ahsoka, and Artoo looked down at him with amused looks on their faces.

"That's Fear?" Leia commented amusedly.

Fear started to speak in a high-pitched helium voice.

"I am Fear! Kneel before me and weep tears of blood!"

Sabine giggled.

"He's-He's actually kind of cute. Can I keep it for a pet?"

Lando leaned in and talked in baby talk.

"Who's the little monster! C'mon, who's the little manifestation of fear?"

"Taunt not, the Manifestation of Fear." Yoda stated.

"Why, can he hurt me?" Lando said with a little bit of worry in his voice.

"No, just, tacky it is." Yoda grumbled, "Ahsoka, when fighting the Dark Side-"

"Size doesn't matter?" Ahsoka the Torgrutan girl commented.

"…Fair enough."

Fear looked up at Ahsoka.

"You're going to wish you died when you find out what has happened to your precious galaxy, Ahsoka." He said in a sing-song voice.

Ahsoka responded by stomping on Fear and squashing him into a pile of bugs that skittered back into the ground.


	7. Chapter 7

Story One

Return to Dagobah

Chapter Seven

The Rebels, now united with Yoda, had made their way back from the ruins and the cavern of darkness to their ships and returned to the _Flurry_. Ahsoka had been quiet the whole way and was staying close to Yoda and Luke. Finally, she asked the big question.

"Master Yoda? What's going on here?"

"Frozen in Carbonite, you were, to survive the Clone Wars."

"Why me? There are far better Jedi than me."

"There are many different types of Jedi. Perhaps, thought I, you were the best of them."

Ahsoka decided to change the subject.

"Did we win the Clone Wars? Where's Master Anakin?"

Yoda nodded at Luke, who responded as calmly as he could.

"This is going to come as a bit of a shock, Ahsoka, but the Republic died from the inside and from the outside. The Separatists were defeated, but one Jedi went rogue and began to annihilate the Order."

"You survived." Ahsoka commented.

"That's because the Old Jedi Order was destroyed around 20 years ago. I'm the first of the new."

Ahsoka shuddered in disbelief.

"But that's impossible."

Luke hated to say it, but he had to.

"Search your feelings. You know it's true." He commented.

Ahsoka shuddered but continued speaking.

"What about Master Anakin? Is he dead? Who was the Jedi who became a Sith?"

Luke knew this would destroy Ahsoka, but he told her.

"It was my father, Anakin Skywalker."

Ahsoka stood stunned in pure shock.

"No…No, I don't believe it! I won't believe it! You're a liar! Ani would never…" She started to cry hysterically as the awful truth hit her fully that all her friends were gone and she was one of the last Jedi. Luke embraced her softly and comfortingly.

"There's not a lot of people who know what you're going through, but you can trust us Rebels. We'll take care of you and, if you want, you can join us."

Ahsoka shuddered and sobbed against Luke's chest heavily then looked up at Luke with sadness in her eyes…and determination.

"I'll join the Rebellion on one request…That you take me on as your Padawan."

Luke nodded.

"Agreed. Welcome to the Rebellion."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

It had been about ten days since Dagobah and the Flurry had returned to the main fleet to drop off Yoda so he could join the Rebel Council. Currently, the Rebel Fleet was hiding out near the planet of Chandrilla, which was a freed Outer Rim planet under the protection of the Rebel Alliance. Most of the known planets in the Outer Rim of the Andromeda Galaxy were part of the Rebel Alliance, given their distances from more heavily fortified Imperial Worlds like Coruscant and Corellia.

However, that didn't mean that the Imperials were not above causing trouble on the Outer Rim for the Alliance. One such world was the world of Bharkesh, a lush and massive jungle planet that gave the Alliance about 20% of their supplies for food and equipment. A small army of Imperial forces had managed to infiltrate Bharkesh from an old Hyperspace route that had been deemed unsafe and were causing trouble on the planet in the form of guerilla warfare and hit-and-run air strikes with the new High-Speed TIE Interceptors. There wasn't enough of an Imperial Army there to take control of Bharkesh, but they were causing a steady amount of severe damages to the supply convoys that had to pass through the treacherous Equatorial Jungles of Bharkesh. In order to protect a much need convoy this time around, the Rebel Council had sent the _Flurry_ as well as Rogue Squadron and the Wraith Commandos to Bharkesh.

Despite the ten days since Dagobah, Luke had managed to start training Corran and Sabine in the ways of the Force with a little help from Ahsoka. Corran and Sabine had built a standard lightsaber each, Corran's with a green blade, Sabine with a pink one, and they, along with Luke and Ahsoka, were currently dueling in some new training rooms that had been set up in the _Flurry_ while waiting for the ship to arrive at Bharkesh. Ahsoka was dueling against Sabine while Luke and Corran fought on the other side of the circular room that was used originally for large briefings. Sabine wore her traditional Mandalorian armor, which was also colored pink, minus the traditional helmet, and was talking with Ahsoka as the fought with their lightsabers.

"So, you got to grow up in the final days of the Republic and you knew General Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yeah. I also was in the Clone Wars."

"Well, that goes without saying. Did you ever get out to Mandalore? They say it was an amazing planet back in the day."

"Wait, I thought you were born and raised on Mandalore?"

"I was, but Mandalore now is the heart of the Empire's slave trade. It's reportedly a lot different than the days of the Republic." Sabine commented more than a little sadly.

Ahsoka parried Sabine's blade and twirled then swung.

"My apologies. At least you remember your home world. Before Master Plo Koon found me as a youngling, I was living in the ruins of the capital of Torgruta. The early days of the Clone Wars devastated it."

Sabine decided to change the subject.

"So, is it true that Jedi weren't allowed to date?"

"The old teachings say that a true Jedi is not allowed to feel emotions of hatred or love and was to be totally detached from the world."

"Well, that is just total slag. You actually put up with that?"

"Had to." Ahsoka commented as she and Sabine finally shut down their lightsabers to take a break and drink some energy drinks.

"So, I guess if a Jedi wanted to marry, he'd have to leave the Order?"

"Pretty much. I'm surprised Anakin and Senator Padme were never found out by the Jedi Council."

Luke and Corran, neither one wearing a shirt and covered in sweat, walked over calmly.

"Hey, we're about to come out at Bharkesh." Corran stated.

"Let's head to the bridge." Luke commented.

Sabine and Ahsoka both realized they were staring at Luke and Corran's chests a little too interestedly. Corran whistled then snapped his fingers to get Ahsoka and Sabine's attention.

"Yo! Flirty girls! We're heading to the bridge!" He exclaimed, getting their attention and causing them to jump comically.

Ahsoka blinked then spoke.

"Wait, I don't flirt."

"Yeah, sure, whatever lover-girl." Corran commented as he patted himself down with a towel, "At any rate, I don't mind people looking at my naturally-well-built chest. It's flattering, right Luke?"

Luke, who was getting a shirt and jacket on, did a double take.

"Uh, well, I just took my shirt off so I wouldn't gunk it up with sweat since it was a nice shirt."

Sabine grinned slyly and walked past her commander.

"Sure thing, Commander Skywalker."

Luke stammered pathetically and Corran snickered.

"Ah, you're still the kid from Tattooine sometimes, eh?"

"Shut up."

Ahsoka smiled and rolled her eyes amusedly as Luke pulled his shirt back on and the four slightly experienced Jedi headed up to the bridge to gaze upon Bharkesh, which resembled the jungle moon of Yavin, only more populated by civilized people. The captain of the Flurry, Tessa Manchisco, a young woman with her beautiful hair in a massive braid, spoke with a salute to Luke.

"As you can see, sir, we have reached Bharkesh and we are ready to begin sending troops down."

"Good. I'm going to head out as well in my X-Wing. Corran, Sabine, Tessa, you have the bridge." Luke stated as he headed to the main hangar with Ahsoka following.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Luke and Ahsoka had made it to the Bharkesh surface without any problems and were meeting with one of the Rebel Leaders of the Jungle planet at a considerably large farm. The farm was one of the five farms that was to give the bulk of the food and equipment to the supply convoy that would head to Bharkesh's central capital to feed the people. The Rebel Leader was Commander Uwe von Willard, who was a veteran of the Battle of Yavin and had served under the legendary General Dodonna himself.

As Luke and von Willard watched the loading of the convoy hover-vehicle, Ahsoka was looking over the farms and thinking to herself about the recent turn of events that had pretty much turned her life upside-down and inside-out. Ever since she had awakened in Dagobah and learned that her former Jedi Master had turned evil and massacred the Jedi Order, somehow Ahsoka was keeping her sanity. She attributed it to shock, but who really knows…

Nevertheless, she found working with the Rebellion to be quite interesting. They were actually a lot less arrogant than the Republic since they were dedicated to not making the mistakes that the Republic had made. They were also pretty accepting of different people, like Ahsoka. She and Master Ani had often gotten into arguments over acceptance, and usually Ani had won the arguments since he was the Master and she was the Apprentice. Luke encouraged Ahsoka, on the other hand, to speak up and voice her opinion almost whenever.

What really surprised Ahsoka was Luke's dedication to his friend, someone named Han Solo, who had been reportedly been captured by the Empire and sold to Jabba the Hutt. Luke was dedicated to finding him, but men like Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi would have left Han to the Krayt Dragons in favor of the protection of the Republic.

Ahsoka suddenly became aware that someone was calling to her and she realized it was Master Luke. She ran over to him.

"You called, Master?"

"Yeah. We're about ready to head out. Rogue Squadron is already engaging some of the TIE Interceptors near Bharkesh's capital and the Wraith Commandos are here to protect the convoy. However, there is one big question to answer: Are you prepared?"

"What do you mean, Master Luke?"  
"I mean we're going up against normal humans here, not droids or clones. I just thought it might be a little hard for an old-schooled Jedi to handle."

Ahsoka looked at Luke and spoke calmly.

"I'll be alright. So, let's get going, shall we?"

They headed to their parts of the supply convoys and began to head out.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Deep in the equatorial jungles of Bharkesh found the Imperial Commandos and Stormtroopers getting ready for another hit-and-run strike against the Rebel convoys headed to the capital. Leading them was a bold Imperial Commander known as Damon Krell and a hooded Sith Lord known as Kam Solusar. Krell's second-in-command, a real brownnoser known as Percy, looked through a pair of Macrobinoculars at the approaching convoy of food supplies, and spoke.

"Here they come, Commander Krell! It's going to be a good day!"

Krell, a tall and bald man, climbed into his AT-ST's cockpit and shouted to the men.

"For the glory of the Empire, men! Let us crush these Rebel grubbers right now!"

The Stormtroopers and Commandos cheered and rushed into battle. One young Stormtrooper commented to his friend as they approached the Convoy of Hover-Trucks carrying tons of supplies.

"This is way too easy. Not that I'm complaining, I mean, I'm having a blast of a time. Get to shoot rebels for target practice and steal back our hard-won supplies? What's not to love?"

"I know. Let's get these traitors." His friend commented as the convoy of hover-trucks slowed to a stop on the road. The young Stormtrooper opened the back of the first hover-truck…

"OH SLAG!"  
…And was shot in the chest. All of the ten Hover-trucks opened up to reveal there were about 25 Wraith Commandos inside each one of them armed to the teeth with a lot of guns. A vicious firefight started up.

The young Stormtrooper's friend broke rank with a few other Stormtroopers and hurried back to where Krell, Kam, and Percy were watching from the AT-ST on a cliff.

"We've been had! They put troops in the convoy instead of supplies! We're getting massacred! Run! Run for your lives!" The young Stormtrooper's friend shouted hysterically before hitting his head on a low tree branch and getting knocked flat out cold.

Kam sighed and jumped off of the AT-ST while Krell and Percy headed into the fray.

"I'm going to find the other supply convoy. They must have sent another on an opposite route! You lot take care of the rebels!"  
The AT-ST charged into battle, opening fire on the Rebel Commandos. Kam ignited his black-bladed lightsaber and leapt from tree to tree like a Spider-Man of Aduba-3, looking for the next road to head to the capital.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Luke and Ahsoka's large and heavily armed convoy of supplies and food heading to the capital of Bharkesh had cleared the Equatorial Jungles of Bharkesh and was heading down a road through a tunnel in a massive cavern that was underneath an old Temple and stood next to a massive ravine. They had encountered minimal resistance, mostly just patrols of Imperial Stormtroopers doing recon, but the big problem had come when they exited the cavern and ravine road and found Kam Solusar waiting for them with his black lightsaber. He raised a hand coldly and, with the Dark Side of the Force, made the hover-trucks and hover-tanks stop in their tracks.

The first hover-tank's top hatch opened and Luke poked his head out.

"Hello, there, officer? Were we speeding?" Luke commented.

Kam twirled his lightsaber.

"Out of the tanks, now! Or I'll use the Force to throw your entire convoy into that ravine over there!"

"Yeah, I don't think you're going to do that."

"Why not?"

"Because you guys are taking the supplies and selling them to the Bharkesh Population at exuberant prices in order to get their loyalty. If the population of Bharkesh found out that you were destroying their supplies, that would just make them stick with the Rebellion more."

"…Okay, fair point." Kam commented as he stopped using the Force then spoke again, "However, I doubt the noble Rebellion soldiers and Commander Luke Skywalker would run me over to just get their goals accomplished, so it looks like we got a small problem here because I am not moving!"  
Luke ignited his green-bladed lightsaber and spoke.

"Well, we both have lightsabers. Let's duel?"

"Fine by me."

Luke walked toward Kam and dropped into a fighting crouch and the two began to fight with their lightsabers. Luke spoke calmly.

"I'm guessing you were trained by my father, Darth Vader? Which means you were trained with an old-fashioned style that dates back to the Old Republic?"

"Why yes. How DID you guess?"

"Body Language."

"And where did you learn your skills? On a farm?!" Kam shouted coldly.

"…Yeah, pretty much." Luke stated like it was no big deal, "And also I learned the amazing skills of the Street."

"What's that?"

Luke kicked Kam in the shin and responded.

"It means anything goes!"

"Ow! Owwww!" Kam shouted, holding his shin and hopping around comically.

Luke politely slammed his palm into Kam's face and shocked him with a blast of light side Force energy. Kam collapsed and several Rebel Commandos arrested him while the convoy got going again.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Krell and Percy's small army of Stormtroopers had retreated into the forest and were being followed by the Wraith Commandos, who were taking them out one by one and two by two. Krell was still in his AT-ST and was crashing through the Equatorial Jungle towards a large temple that was built over a Ravine when he saw the other Rebel Convoy maneuvering towards the capital of Bharkesh.

"There's the main convoy! Open fire!" Krell screamed at Percy, who was acting as gunner to the AT-ST.

Percy laughed and opened fire maniacally.

"As you command, Commander Krell!" He shouted happily as he destroyed a hover-tank.

As they began to rain destruction upon the hover-tanks and trucks containing supplies, a young Torgrutan girl leapt an impossible leap with the Force onto the top of the AT-ST and ripped the top hatch off with the Force also.

"Going somewhere, Losers?"

"Eat Laser, Jedi scum!" Shouted Krell as he fired at her with his blaster.

Ahsoka repelled the shots with her lightsaber and fired a wave of Force energy at Krell, knocking him into the controls of the AT-ST and electrocuting him in the process. As his body did a jerky dance from the electricity surging through him, Krell reflexively shot Percy in the head, who collapsed on top of the driver of the AT-ST and locked the controls, forcing the AT-ST to start walking right to the Ravine.

"Uh-oh! Time to get lost!" Ahsoka yelped and backflipped onto a hover-tank as the AT-ST fell into the Ravine and exploded as it hit the distant bottom.

Ahsoka landed successfully on the hover-tank's frame while her fellow Rebels cheered as the convoy approached the capital of Bharkesh successfully, having only lost about two tanks and no trucks full of supplies. As the people of Bharkesh began to get their much needed supplies and food, Luke approached Ahsoka.

"Hey, kiddo, you look like you done good? I think you took out the Imperial Commanders. Most of the other Imperials have surrendered."

Ahsoka smiled at Luke with pride.

"Thanks, Master Luke. I guess fighting for freedom is like riding a normal bicycle." She commented casually and deactivated her lightsaber.

Meanwhile, Lando and Chewbacca were examining the Hyperspace route that Krell's troops had taken to get to Bharkesh. Lando pulled up some data on the Navicomputer to see that the nearest planet from the Bharkesh system was Dantooine.

"Hey, Chewie, I'm going to see if there is an Imperial base on Dantooine. Just in case that Krell had backup troops or something." He commented to Chewbacca.

Chewbacca grunted and nodded. Lando punched in the route to Dantooine and they took off into Hyperspace.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

The Millennium Falcon was heading towards Dantooine when suddenly the Hyperdrive crashed and spat the fast smuggling ship out into deep space. Lando and Chewbacca both swore irritably.

"Aw slag, Chewie! We are in serious trouble, here!" Lando stated the clearly obvious.

Chewbacca growled and snuffled loudly, asking where the heck they were.

"No idea, my furry friend. The navicomputer is taking its sweet time rebooting." Lando grumbled as he punched the navicomputer a couple of times.

Suddenly, beams of brilliant rainbow-like light began to streak across the skies in an awesome display of energy. Chewie growled an awe-inspired comment and Lando heartily responded.

"Whoa, talk about beautiful…It's like Heaven just opened up for us…though I don't know what kind of Heaven would admit a guy like me."

Chewie grunted and pointed at the space-radar. Lando checked it and felt his jaw unhinge.

"Wait, that's impossible. There's no inhabitable worlds within our location. So why is the space radar showing a giant landmass in front of us?"

Chewie commented it could be a trap created by the Empire. Lando shrugged.

"It's probably not a trap. Let's go check it out…Maybe there's civilization…"

He maneuvered the Millennium Falcon towards the strange landmass, which turned out to be a giant island in a bubble of Force Energy. As they entered the bubble, Lando managed to land the Falcon into a lush deciduous forest and plowed a long furrow in the ground in the process. As they got out, Chewbacca grunted nastily at Lando, who responded with:

"What!? I thought it was a great landing!"

The two smugglers grabbed some supplies and headed deep into the forest.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Lando and Chewbacca had been walking for about twenty minutes in the forest on the strange island. Lando was talking out loud.

"With the Falcon inoperable, our only hope is to get to that city, Chewie. And you never know, if we play our cards right, we could walk out of this crazy caper with potentially a fixed ship and a lot of money…" He commented.

Suddenly, Chewbacca bellowed as a hulking monster with dark purple skin and giant fangs coming from its mouth leapt onto him and knocked the Wookie into a daze then advanced on Lando, who drew his blaster and emptied a clip into the monster.

"Try this on for size, fang-face!" Lando shouted.

The lasers were absorbed into the Monster's skin.

"Oh, that's not good." Lando groaned as the Monster raised a fist with a smug look on its face.

The Monster swung at Lando who closed his eyes and made his peace with the Force. But the blow never landed. He rather pathetically opened his eyes shakily and saw that the Monster was lying on the ground, dead. Standing nearby was a human who vaguely resembled the Monster, minus the fangs, and was dressed in almost regal clothing who looked like he was the local leader of the city. He spoke in a powerful yet calm voice.

"Enough. My monster-brother's violence must have expression, but I will NOT allow the taking of lives in this kingdom."

Chewbacca and Lando stared at the man in disbelief. One thought ran through Lando's shocked mind.

_It couldn't be…I thought he was dead!_

The man spoke again.

"Why do you stare, Strangers? I am not an enemy. In fact, I will prove to be the greatest friend you will ever have." He commented as he waved a hand over the Monster and reduced him to raw energy that traveled into his body.

Lando spoke up.

"Sir, you misunderstand. I hesitated because, well, I know who you are! Anyone in the Rebellion knows who you are! You're Galen Marek, the Founder of the Rebellion!"

Galen's eyes narrowed dangerously and he spoke coldly.

"The former Apprentice of the Dark Lord, Darth Vader? The Much-Lionized hero of the Rebel Cause? That may be my name, but I am no longer that same man of brutality. Keep that in mind."

Galen strode past Lando and Chewbacca just as icily but spoke in a kind and hospitable voice.

"Now, enough talk of the past! Enough wasting of precious moments! These jungle are haunted by much more of my demonic monsters! Let us leave the past and them behind forever and adjourn to my city!"

Lando and Chewbacca followed him, but Lando started having a bad feeling about this situation.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Lando and Chewbacca had entered Galen Marek's city and found it to be a very beautiful sight of breathtaking architecture to rival that of the city of Theed on the planet of Naboo. Lando spoke to Galen in amazement, that bad feeling about all this still gnawing at him.

"What is this place, Galen?"

"This is my home, now, and my kingdom. It's a far better world than the one that birthed us. I would appreciate it if you stayed for as long as you wanted, and after you see all that we have here, you probably will. But I request that you heed my one law and respect the peace that this world has sustained."

Lando looked confusedly at Galen then spoke.

"I'm a little confused, here, Galen? What is your game?"

An Old Jedi dressed in flowing robes walking nearby overheard Lando's question and spoke calmly.

"We play no games in our city of dreams, good sir. We hide behind neither sophistry nor machinery. Our friend, Galen Marek, has built a haven from the insanity and pointlessness of war. I suggest you embrace it warmly, as your Wookie friend is beginning to do." He commented with a gesture at Chewbacca, who had struck up a conversation with a female Wookie.

Lando did a double take and the old Jedi continued to speak.

"Take the words of Rahm Kota: Here you have found a world forever untouched by the horrors of war."

Lando did another double take, this time at Kota.

"Waitaminute! Rahm Kota?!"

He looked at Galen.

"He was a Jedi Master and the most powerful military leader in the old Republic at the time of the Rise of the Empire? He also vanished like you over five years ago around the formation of the Rebellion! What is going on here?!" He asked coldly.

Galen smiled then spoke.

"Permit me to show you."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Over at the Dantooine system found a small group of Imperial Star Destroyers doing a routine patrol. A middle-aged Imperial Sergeant looked at some data on a computer screen and waved over to the female Captain, a woman named Plikk.

"Captain Plikk! We have detected and verified a strange bit of energy in deep space near the planet of Bharkesh."

Plikk, a young and eager Captain, spoke calmly.

"Lock in the location and chart us a path. We need to get there before the Rebels do!"

The Sergeant shouted at the computer technicians.

"You have heard the Captain, dogs! Plot a course immediately and take this entire battle group to the strange energy source!"

Plikk smiled to herself proudly.

_For seven years, I have patrolled Dantooine's system and seen far too little of the glory of war. Now, a strange energy source appears near us? If I bring said energy source before the Emperor, he will not only promote me to the rank of Grand Admiral, but also send me to work on his new superweapon to destroy the Rebellion! This will be the glory of a lifetime!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Galen was showing Lando around his city and was currently showing him a huge room full of massive computers. He spoke calmly.

"This equipment is our sole tie to the outside world, Sir Calrissian, and with it we can monitor the transmissions from the Rebellion and the Empire. The transmissions remind us that the eternal war between good and evil will always cost important lives and that we are fortunate to forsake such ways."

Lando, who was getting a little confused and also frustrated, spoke an obvious question.

"Can it be detected?"

"Not by normal means for it is made and refined purely through the Force itself."

"Okay, it's time to answer my questions, Galen. I don't understand why the most powerful Force User out there would turn his back on the Rebellion?"

Galen sighed as they walked through the seven circular gardens of his city.

"It seems you are determined to get the information…though you should just be happy and enjoy yourself…so I must explain what is going on here. For the past five years, everyone has probably known the story of the great Galen Marek, who rebelled against his Imperial teachings and used them for the force of Good and Justice. But in fact, I relished war for its own sake! I, deep down in my soul, enjoyed nothing but the endless shedding of blood and death. Those whose real goal was peace would always disgust me. A man like me, who walked such an imbalanced path, had truly only one fate and destiny: Death on the Battlefield. I met such a fate on Mustafar, fighting a standard skirmish against the Empire. An explosion threw me into the lava rivers and I was savagely burned beyond recognition. The Locals there soon found me and nursed me back to health and taught me the meaning of true peace and dedication to such a goal. I found my followers and, in turn, taught them such meanings and together, we built this amazing world where all can be free if they put down the sword and-"

Lando glared at Galen like he was an idiot.

"Are you kidding me?! You had powers that no one has ever dreamed of and you used it to build your own private fiefdom. Ever since I heard of your legend, you've been a symbol of…of hope to me and the strength I have always lacked!"

He grabbed Galen by the shirt.

"But you are NOT strong, Galen! You're just a coward who couldn't take it anymore!"

"Stop right there, Calrissian!" Galen screamed, but not in rage, more like fear.

A window shattered and several more of the monsters from the forest began to charge into the city. Galen screamed in agony.

"STOOOOOOP! Your violence is drawing them!" He shrieked as he made the monster-versions of himself disappear, "You think such breathtaking power comes at no price? I may have created this magnificent city, but also I created the forest where my demonic repressed horrors of my soul live!"

Lando snorted and spoke.

"Poor you, I really feel for you." He commented, "Now, just give me the means to leave this place and Chewie and I will be on our way."

He looked at Chewbacca, who was still talking with the female Wookie.

"Chewie? Hey! Chewie!"

Chewie grumbled reluctantly.

Galen smiled happily.

"I think you have been outvoted, Lando, your Wookie friend is realizing the truth of things."

Lando stood stunned in shock.

"Chewbacca, don't forget Han."

Chewbacca grunted and nodded.

"Good. Because I was starting to worry about you. Let's get the Falcon over here so we can repair the Hyperdrive."

They headed back into the Forest.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

The Millennium Falcon was now in the city and Lando was using the supplies there to rebuild the Hyperdrive with the help of Chewbacca. Galen watched calmly, a look of pure pity on his face. Lando finally spoke to Galen.

"I don't get you, Galen, you loathe me because I'm willing to fight for what I believe in-"

"Don't you dare twist my words, Lando. I am fighting for what I believe in. My revolution just has less loss of life."

"What good is it if you are here free hidden in the vastness of space while the rest of the galaxy lies enslaved?"

Galen snarled at Lando.

"How dare you judge me!"

Lando smiled.

"Now that is what I like to hear! A little human rage!"

"Shut up! The only way for us to promote peace is to dedicate ourselves to it entirely and-"

"Spare me the messianic mumbling." Lando commented as he made the last adjustments to the Hyperdrive, "I should thank you, though?"

"What for?"

"I at least have something to fight for now after years of self-serving. If I hadn't have come here, it might have taken longer for me to realize that."

"Well…your truth is not my truth." Galen snarled again.

Lando laughed calmly.

"Here's my truth for you: When I get back to the Rebellion, I'm telling them MY side of things which states you are just a coward and a moron. Sure, it will hurt them, but it will inspire them in the long run as they will rise above you and be far better rebels than this lot of cowards."

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the city and a large building collapsed as a group of Star Destroyers began to bombard the city with blasts of energy. Lando and Chewbacca climbed back into the Falcon and Lando grinned at Galen.

"Well, Galen, fight or flight. And I don't think you can do either. See ya."

The Falcon took off and began to open fire at the six Star Destroyers. Galen began to sweat heavily as the Star Destroyers continued raining death upon his city. Suddenly, he screamed.

"DAMN YOU! Damn you all to hell, Imperial scum! I will show you my powers and teach you a lesson in agony!"

He raised his hands and lightning bolts ripped out of his hands and destroyed an entire Star Destroyer with a massive explosion.

Inside the Falcon, Lando whooped.

"Alright, I knew that Galen would go back to fighting once the chips were down."

Chewbacca groaned a response suddenly as the lightning display stopped and the Star Destroyers resumed their bombardment, actually increasing in intensity.

Lando punched a computer.

"Dammit! That idiot Galen left us high and dry! Well, I'll show him how a man fights, then I'll go down there to spit in his face!"

Chewbacca grumbled a response as he and Lando began to take out the Star Destroyers one at a time as the Star Destroyers leveled the city. The Star Destroyers crashed into the forests and began to explode, but the lead one smashed into the remnants of Galen's city and crushed it into oblivion. Lando slumped over in his chair.

"Damn…Galen could have stopped them, but he just stood by and let himself die for a lofty ideal…"

He bit his lip then spoke.

"I could hunt down those Imperials for this, but I won't. I'll just let them live. Their ships are destroyed and there is enough on this planet for them to rebuild a simpler life…"

Lando sighed and took the Ship back into Hyperspace, vowing to never return to this place ever again.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

* * *

Threepio and Artoo were bolting down a hallway being pursued by a small army of armed-to-the-teeth droids from various manufacturers. Threepio looked at Artoo angrily.

"Why is everything in this atrocious place so single-minded!? Artoo-Detoo, I will never forgive you for getting me into this fine mess!"

Artoo made a rude noise.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S MY FAULT WE'RE HERE!? I distinctly remember that-"

Artoo suddenly screeched to a halt, causing his golden humanoid counterpart to crash into him comically.

"Why did you just do that?! We're never going to get out of here unless you-"

Artoo pointed down with an arm and Threepio saw that right in front of the two droids (and two stories down) was a burning smelter pit.

"Jump!" Threepio yelped.

Artoo and Threepio jumped off of the ledge and fell towards the smelter.

* * *

FIVE HOURS EARLIER…

The Flurry had reached a fallen Alderaanian Blockade Runner that had been recently attacked by the Empire on the edge of Rebellion Space and was docking with it to clear away the bodies and see what intel they could get off of the ship from the attack.

Luke, along with Ahsoka, Threepio, and Artoo, walked into the main hangar of the Blockade Runner to find the mostly-intact wreckage of an Imperial Tank-Bot. Ahsoka looked it over.

"This looks to be the latest version of the Sienar Tank-Bots produced by the Empire?"

Luke nodded.

"Indeed. And they have been raising all kinds of hell on the front lines like at the planet of Christophis." He stated grimly, "However, if we can get a schematic of these Tank-bots taken back to Chandrilla, we might be able to start producing ones of our own well before Christophis falls."

Threepio nodded also and looked at Artoo.

"Did you hear that, Artoo? That means it's our job to copy the schematics, so I suggest you do it right!" He snapped at Artoo.

Ahsoka smiled to herself, remembering how much arguments she had seen back in the Clone Wars between these two wacky droids. It was hard to imagine life without them…

Artoo and Threepio soon got to work, taking detailed schematics of the Tank-Bot and its innards. Threepio was happy and being quite vocal about it.

"This job is certain to earn us quite the commendation from the Rebel Council…or at the very least, one magnificent oil bath…"

Artoo, who was a bit more intent on his job than listening to Threepio rant, mentioned there was a damaged section that was getting him trouble. Threepio, had he lungs, would have sighed and responded snippily.

"Really, Artoo? If that damaged section is getting you nowhere, I suggest moving to another section. Like say that one over to the right. No, the other right! NOOOOOO!"

Artoo accidentally went left and began to examine some other circuitry which promptly exploded and threw Artoo across the room.

Threepio groaned.

"I said Right, Artoo! _Right_!"

Luke and Ahsoka ran into the room to see that the majority of the Tank-Bot's circuitry had fried.

"Aw, no!" Luke groaned irritably, "Threepio, what did you do?!"

Threepio spoke calmly as possible.

"I, um, fear that that we are experiencing a slight technical problem here, Master Luke."

"SLIGHT technical problem?!" Luke exclaimed, "Threepio, the circuitry inside the Tank-Bot is all fused together. It's impossible to get a schematic now!"

Ahsoka suddenly had an idea.

"Well, we might be able to, Master Luke, but it's going to take some skill and trickery plus the help of the droids."

Threepio nodded.

"I will do anything to help fix what Artoo has done! Artoo will as well!"

* * *

A few hours later found the Flurry approaching a small moon near Geonosis, a planet that had been long abandoned and destroyed during the Jedi Purge. The odd thing about the moon was that it was made of metal and it vaguely resembled the Death Star. Ahsoka explained to Luke, Threepio, and Artoo calmly the situation.

"This is Kligson's moon. He was a mighty clone soldier who survived a massive explosion but had to be rebuilt as a cyborg in the early years of the war. He's also a mechanical genius who might be able to help us out."

Suddenly there was a volley of lasers that came from Kligson's Moon. Fortunately, it was just a warning shot and the volley missed the Flurry completely. Ahsoka groaned.

"But he's also a bit of a recluse as well as a bit of a weirdo." She muttered.

Luke pulled up a universal radio broadcast wavelength and spoke into a communicator.

"This is Commander Luke Skywalker of the Rebel-"

"_And this is Kligson of Kligson's Moon, Rebel! I am hearby informing you that if you attempt to come any closer to my home and you will __**die**__! I wish to be left in peace and quiet!"_

Threepio quickly took the communicator.

"Sir, I've heard that you are quite a collector of Droids and that you are a champion of equal rights for robots in the Galaxy. We need your assistance in repairing a severely hurt robot. Are you up to the challenge?"

"_Heh, you seem to know me well, droid. I do like challenges. However, there are two rules that will be observed on my home: One, no organic lifeform will enter my home and Two, I keep what I repair. A shuttle has been dispatched to bring the wounded robot in. If you agree to my terms, place the robot on it and send it back. Non-negotiable!"_

Luke and Ahsoka looked at Artoo and Threepio in amazement.

"Now we're in trouble. How are we supposed to get the schematics if he keeps the Tank-Bot?" Luke asked.

"Simple, Master Luke." Threepio explained, "Artoo here will record the whole thing."

"Oh. That makes sense. Well, then, you both can go down. I doubt you will get into any trouble down there in a world of droids…"

The shuttle docked with the Flurry and Threepio and Artoo loaded the Tank-Bot onto it then headed down to the Moon.

* * *

Soon, they were walking on the metal ground of Kligson's Moon's main hangar. Kligson spoke over the communicator to the two droids.

"_Step lively, you two, to the Examining chamber. Just a precaution to make sure that my rules have been honored."_

Fortunately, the examining chamber test was passed with flying colors and Threepio and Artoo were granted permission to explore the strange moon. Kligson, a scarred clone with a mostly metal body, materialized on a viewing screen and spoke as the Tank-bot got examined by a strange droid that resembled an Imperial Stormtrooper.

"_A product of the Empire. Typical Sienar tech…the diagram indicates the proper reconstruction, but this kind of droid isn't worth the effort to rebuild. Almost nothing by the Empire is, save for my friend, Zee-Exthree."_ Kligson spoke over the computer screen and gestured at the strange droid, who spoke next.

"Shall I have the war machine dumped into the smelter pits, Milord?"

"_Yes…and while you are at it, remove the restraining bolts from the two other droids present so they can live happily here on my moon."_

Threepio immediately protested in shock.

"Wait! You don't understand, Master Kligson! To work for men and women like Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, as well as the rest of the Rebellion, is an honor. We're quite content to play our part in this Rebellion."

Kligson got a confused look on his face.

"_Zee-Exthree, bring me these two droids. I wish to examine them first hand_." He spoke then disappeared from the viewing screen.

Zee-Exthree nodded and began to escort Threepio and Artoo down a bustling hallway. Threepio spoke calmly, though inside he was a little scared, vividly remembering the nightmarish experience he had endured back in Geonosis some years earlier…

"This world seems to be quite active. Perhaps than rather disturb Kligson, Artoo and I should just return to the ship and-"

Zee spoke coldly.

"Dubious. He would not request you unless he wanted to."

"Well, I guess you know best…though tell me, when did the Empire create droids like you?"

"I am an Experimental Model, commissioned by Grand Admiral Thrawn. My programming was for deep space combat and battle in extreme conditions that no human can survive. However, the Imperials were unimpressed by my performances and discarded me. That was most fortunate for me, though, since Kligson was able to save me from the Junk planet I was sent to."

He gestured at a large door.

"This is Kligson's chambers. You will find him inside. I must tend to the destruction of this Tank-Bot." Zee stated as he walked off.

Threepio walked towards the large door and spoke to Artoo, though Artoo's curiosity at Zee had been piqued and he followed him sneakily instead.

"For someone who was designed by the Grand Admiral of the Imperial Fleet, he seems quite nice enough. Perhaps, Artoo, this world is not so bad after all…"

He entered Kligson's chambers to find the strange clone-cyborg waiting calmly who got another confused look on his face again.

"Wait, where is your counterpart, Translator?"

"Artoo? Oh, he must have gone off sight-seeing…That little droid just continues to embarrass me."

* * *

Artoo had tracked Zee into a large warehouse where there were a considerable amount of weapons being stashed. Artoo whimpered as he heard what Zee was saying to the fellow mechanics present.

"Get your crew over to the Tank-Bot immediately! The Rebels have brought us what we need to repair our Tank-Bot to begin our own revolution against Kligson!" He snapped as the mechanic droids began to rapidly take the Tank-Bot's turret off and put it onto another.

Artoo, as he watched the construction, accidentally knocked over a barrel that fell to the ground loudly, alerting the other droids to his presence.

"It's that Artoo unit! Destroy him! Silence him!"

Artoo zipped out of the room and scurried towards Kligson's chambers to find that Kligson and Threepio were arguing.

"I don't understand you, Threepio. Why do you throw your lot in with the Rebellion or the Empire, both of whom have sacrificed Droids without hesitation for the sake of organics?"

"I suppose I lack your view on life, but from what I have seen, the Rebels I know are far better people to work for than that of the Empire and the Sith Lords."

Artoo zipped into the room whistling and chirping heavily. Threepio sat up in shock.

"Droids turning on their fellow droids? That's not possible!"

Kligson narrowed his eyes and picked up a rifle.

"I had my fears that this would happen. I must impart a different gift to you two before you return to your Rebel Friends. Now, Take the emergency exit before-"

Zee stepped out from the emergency exit calmly.

"-Someone gets hurt?" He stated to Kligson.

"Uh-oh." Was all that Kligson was able to say before he was blasted into scrap!

Threepio and Artoo staggered back in horror.

"He-He slew his own master!? What is the world coming to?!"

Zee glared at Threepio and Artoo as more Droids began to storm into the room, armed to the transistors.

"Eliminate these Rebel scum!"

The Droids began to chase Threepio and Artoo down a hallway which opened up into a smelter pit. As Threepio and Artoo descended towards the smelter pit, a large electromagnet zipped over and activated near them, pulling Threepio and Artoo away from the smelter pit and up into a hidden chamber with a familiar face in it that prompted Threepio to gasp.

"Kligson?! But I just saw you get shot down!"

"That was an android duplicate of me." Kligson explained, "Much as I regret the death of any machine, I felt it was necessary in order to buy time and rally my own forces. I apologize using you two as bait, for in reality I had hoped that Zee would not have followed through with his intended revolution or that I was mistaken about him."

"We never cease to be amazed by the depths of Imperial corruption, Sir Kligson." Threepio commented, "What is to be done about Zee-Exthree?"

"My forces are already destroying his army and tearing him apart. They should be finished by now. However, I have an important test to perform on you two. Please, step into those chambers there so I can give you that gift I was meaning to give you as well as the data for the Tank bot."

Extremely confused, Threepio and Artoo exchanged looks as they entered said chambers. Kligson began to type on a computer the chambers sealed themselves shut.

"You might feel a considerable sting."

Threepio laughed.

"Ha! I have an extremely high threshold for-"

Surges of electricity began to bombard Threepio and Artoo.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! OWWWWWWW! OWWWWWWW! OWWWWW!"

The Chambers shattered and two humans fell out instead of Artoo and Threepio with dazed expressions on their faces.

Kligson smiled smugly.

"My procedure worked."

The human who used to be Threepio staggered up woozily.

"What did you do to us?! We're humans?!"

"Not exactly. You're a type of robot that have cybernetic skin drawn across your frame that makes you able to pass for humans. The majority of your knowledge as your life as normal robots such as memory and basic programming have been retained, but I implanted a few things that are common human knowledge."

The human-bot that used to be Artoo blinked his eyes and coughed then spoke in Standard Basic for the first time in his life.

"I can speak! Awesome!" He commented in his new form of a young boy with silver hair and a cool blue and white outfit.

Threepio, who resembled now a young man with sandy hair and wore blue pants, shoes, and a white shirt that showed a nice chest and wore glasses, glared at Kligson.

"Why'd you pick us for something like this?"

"No real reason other than I was bored."

"Well, change us back."

"I only built a machine to make a new breed of robots, not turn them back. The best part of your new life is that you are not programmed to be totally loyal to your former human masters."

"Fine. What of the Tank-Bot plans?"

Kligson produced a simple disc in a case and tossed it to Threepio.

"Here you are. Now, I will have you escorted to your shuttle. I much to mourn and take care of."

* * *

SOMETIME LATER…

Threepio and Artoo, in their new bodies, had explained the strange events of Kligson's Moon to Luke and Ahsoka while handing over the data on the Tank-bot. Luke put a hand on Threepio's shoulder calmly.

"You did good, Threepio. Both you and Artoo have walked out of this safe, with new powers, and you got us a new weapon against the Empire."

Threepio nodded, but had a sad look on his face.

"That does mean a great deal, Luke…but I can't help but feel bad for Kligson. The events on his home base have left him quite harsh and more determined to not be drawn into the conflict…and I doubt the Empire will ever let him alone."

Artoo shouted from a window.

"I got news for you, Threepio! Look!"

Luke, Ahsoka, and Threepio looked out a window to see massive engines hidden inside of Kligson's Moon activate and began to maneuver the moon away from Geonosis and the galactic war forever.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

* * *

_Aargau, third planet of the Zug system. The stability of Aargau's currency, the technical superiority of its armed forces, and its strict laws that govern weapons possession and precious metal exports have made this planet the major banking center of the galaxy._

* * *

Princess Leia stepped off of her shuttle from the Flurry, which was still in orbit in the neutral system of Zug, and onto Aargauian soil along with Threepio and Artoo in their new human appearences, Ahsoka Tano (who was on loan from Luke), and a tall and balding man known as Viscount Taardi of Chandrilla, who was one of the Rebellion's top financial officers. They were promptly greeted by a group of armed guards in bright green uniforms and matching helmets armed with high-tech next-generation rifles. However, they all had polite expressions on their faces and not looking to cause trouble. The Captain of the group of guards spoke to Leia and Taardi calmly.

"Your Highness, Princess Leia, and your lordship, Viscount Taardi! The Bank and the Depositors of Aargau welcome you happily to our capital city. Now, although we have been properly briefed on your missions here, I simply must insist that, according to regulations, you must provide an unaltered voice record. A simple formality, but necessary nonetheless." He explained as a small droid walked over to take Leia and Taardi's voice records.

Leia nodded and gave her record before Taardi.

"I, Princess Leia Organa of the planet of Alderaan, am acting as royal escort to the financial manager of the Rebellion, Viscount Taardi. We have been charged with procuring financing for the purchase of new squadrons for the Rebellion." She spoke into a microphone that the small droid held out to her mouth.

After Leia finished speaking, Taardi went next.

"And I, Viscount Hamish Godfrey Montebello Dumbledore Wulfuric Rastabarian Uwestranackt bol Taardi, have come to Aargau with full and complete knowledge of the complex ceremonial nature of your banking procedures. Protocol will be observed, Laws will be upheld, and Balance will endure." Taardi stated calmly in a slightly snooty voice.

The group of Rebels began to make their way to Customs with the guards. As they did so, they passed by a series of X-Ray Machines that served as the necessary departure security system to make sure no one was smuggling anything out of the banks. Finally, they reached the Customs Checkpoint and were met with a young sergeant who took their weapons and stored them in numbered lockers politely. A second sergeant spoke to Leia calmly as this happened.

"Do you have anything to declare?"

"Just our luggage, which is being unloaded and searched from the shuttle. At the moment, all I have to declare is a Diplomatic Briefcase."

"And in concordance with our laws, Diplomatic Briefcases are exempt from Custom Inspections. If that is all, we shall proceed with the next step which is for you to understand the primary laws of Aargau. There are only three crimes on Aargau that are punishable by immediate execution or life imprisonment, whichever comes first: The unlawful removal of any precious metal; The unlawful possession of weapons by non-citizens; and/or wilfully conspiring to defraud, discredit, or deceive the bank of Aargau. Are these laws acknowledged and understood?"

Leia, Taardi, Ahsoka, Threepio, and Artoo all responded with a chorus of 'Yes'.

The sergeant then spoke with a smile.

"Very well then. Welcome to Aargau. Enjoy your stay and may you have good luck with your transactions here-"

An all-too familiar voice filled the air along with hellish breathing.

"Unfortunately, their luck has just suffered a massive setback."

Darth Vader and three nasty looking aliens were walking over from the Customs Checkpoint they were getting through. Vader briefly looked at Ahsoka but didn't recognize her at all. Vader was still speaking calmly.

"Aargau, despite all appearances, is a dangerous nest of vipers, Princess Leia. Horrible accidents tend to happen, in light of the ban of defensive weaponry."

Leia snorted humorlessly.

"Darth Vader, what brings you Aargau? I assume you are just looking over your extensive secret accounts that used to belong to the various Jedi you massacred during the Purge? I do see you haven't brought your usual army of Stormtroopers, though they aren't as good in a fight without their blaster rifles…" She stated with a cold smile.

"I am ignoring your pitiful attempts at Humor, Princess. I have merely come to Aargau to complete a small diplomatic mission for Emperor Ephialtes Palpatine and I have brought along a few valets to handle the majority of the tasks I must take on."

He placed a diplomatic briefcase on the Customs Desk in front of the Sergeant.

"Nothing to declare but a diplomatic briefcase."

Ahsoka coldly spoke up.

"Aw, nothing but some paperwork and perhaps a change of armor, right, Anakin Skywalker?"

Vader, if he was surprised, held it in completely and merely regarded Ahsoka calmly.

"I see my son, Luke, has decided to tell his rebel friends about his lineage. I suggest that unless you wish to endure a lot of pain, Padawan, that you keep that to yourself and refer to me with a respectful tone." He spoke harshly as he and his retinue of men acknowledged the three laws of Aargau.

Leia chimed in with Ahsoka.

"Oh, so you really are Anakin Skywalker, one of the most dedicated Jedi Knights, then? And you're retinue of valets? Are they Sith Lords or merely members of the Emperor's Assassin's order, all of whom are good at unarmed killing?"

She would have said more, but a klaxon alarm began to blare and men began to shout from the X-Ray scanners.

"We have a smuggler! We have a smuggler! This man here, he is a smuggler! There is a gold implants on his ribs! Citizens, stand by your weapons for immediate reprisals!"  
The smuggler in question began to shove people out of his way, frantically running towards his ship. He was promptly cut down by an impressive bombardment of laserfire that reduced his body to a steaming and smoking skeleton with some meat still clinging to the bones that collapsed to the ground, dead.

Vader spoke like nothing had happened, regarding the dead body calmly.

"Justice…is swift on Aargau, still. Princess Leia."

"Well, I've learned that Justice can be a double-edged sword." Leia stated coldly as a pair of droids picked up the man's body and carried him away.

Vader chuckled a rare laugh and spoke as he and his men walked off.

"I'll be certain to write that down in my Autobiography. Now then, I must attend to the Emperor's financial business. May the Force give you and your friends what you deserve."

Threepio put a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder, who was shuddering hard from her encounter with her former master, and spoke calmly but slightly confused.

"Well, I've certainly seen everything now. Why would the Dark Lord of the Sith be sent to handle a Financial matter for the Emperor?"

"He's not. He's here to kill Taardi so the loans don't go through for our new Fighters." Leia commented, "Well, shall we head to the Hotel?"

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

It was early the next morning at Aargau and the Rebels were on the move in a standard Aargauian Landspeeder, heading to a big fancy reception at the Garden of Butterflies. Leia was running through the itinerary calmly as they approached a large bridge a bit of a distance away on the highway they were on.

"Let's see, first we have a big reception party at the Garden of Butterflies…at noon we have Home Guard Maneuvers demonstrations, and then this afternoon comes the usual presentation of Collateral that will get us the loan."

Ahsoka spoke up as they continued approaching the large bridge.

"Uh, guys, there's Darth Vader and his retinue of valets. You think they might try something right now?"

Leia looked up and saw one of Vader's assassins, a hulking green fish-man from a high-gravity planet which made his body incredibly strong and dense, was watching her and the group of Rebels with a determined look on his face.

"You know, big dense guys really shouldn't stand near the edge of a bridge." Leia commented calmly.

"Oh, I doubt a fall could hurt a man from Rigel VII that much. Really, it would be like just falling off a log-"

The hulking alien leapt off of the bridge and landed in front of the landspeeder, denting the pavement. Threepio slammed on the brakes and twisted the steering wheel, causing the landspeeder to skid and flip into the hulking alien and knock him flat on the highway, while the landspeeder rolled for a few seconds and crashed down hard, upside-down. Everyone inside gulped as the hulking alien from Rigel VII began to advance on the Landspeeder, nursing only a few cuts and bruises to his dense skin. He grabbed the Landspeeder and ripped it half with his bare hands, prompting Threepio to squeal in horror.

"Oh by the Force! This is intolerable!" He shouted loudly.

Leia shouted at Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka! I need the diplomatic briefcase!"

Ahsoka handed the briefcase to Leia and she cracked it open just as the hulking alien reached for Taardi's neck to snap it like a twig. She produced a small device and fired a blast from it at the hulking alien who promptly seemed to disappear. Almost immediately, klaxons began to wail and a bunch of armed soldiers rushed over to surround Leia like a firing squad. Vader spoke from the bridge he was standing on.

"Officers, I demand that you take immediate action against Princess Leia and her fellow lawbreakers! This criminal woman has vaporized my valet for no apparent reason with a weapon hidden in her diplomatic briefcase!"

One of the other assassins chimed in.

"I saw it with all six of my eyes, including the ones on my hands! She shot him after he fell down from the bridge after tripping!"

The lead Captain of the soldiers clicked off the safety to his laser rifle and looked at Leia with a cold expression on his face.

"Is this true?"

"Actually, officer, no. Here, look for yourself…The valet isn't even dead. I just shot him to protect the Viscount's life with this gravitational field disruptor which is available at any five-and-dime shop and bazaar at any space-port. All I did was increase his relative density to the seventh power. Just look down."

The Aargau soldiers looked down to see there was a large hole and at the bottom was a very dazed Rigellian, moaning in extremely pain. Leia continued to explain.

"That explains his rather abrupt disappearance from the surface. Don't worry, Lord Vader, He'll be alright in about 23 hours…so you might want to throw some food after him."

Vader clenched his fists dangerously and _glared_ at Leia as she and her group continued on to the Garden of Butterflies. The six-eyed Assassin unwisely spoke up.

"That was not wise, Lord Vader, to attempt an attack on the Viscount this early-"

"Shut up. I do not discuss my plans with my underlings."

The other Assassin, who was psychic, snapped dangerously.

"Underlings!? We be professional agents of the Emperor-"

"You are professional PAWNS! And Pawns will be sacrificed for the more valuable players, are we clear?!" Vader boomed at the two assassins while using the Force to temporarily strangle them to remind them who was in charge of them.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

* * *

Leia, Ahsoka, Taardi, Threepio, and Artoo had made it without further incident to the Garden of the Butterflies in the Aargau capital and were enjoying the little soiree that the Bank Officers were throwing for the Viscount. Appropriately, the Garden was an artificially designed environment for the countless amounts of Butterflies of various shapes, sizes, and colors that were floating around along with lots of beautiful statues and fountains, even a small artificial river with real water, not synthesized. At the moment, while Leia and the Viscount were talking business with a few of the Bank Officers, Ahsoka was hanging out with Threepio and Artoo, who were still getting used to their new bodies from Kligson's Moon. Ahsoka sipped a glass of Bakuran sweet-juice that someone had recommended to her and used the Force to calm down her tastebuds. She felt a shiver down her spine as Darth Vader walked over to confront her.

Vader looked at the two former droids turned humanoid cyborgs and gestured.

"Leave us. I wish to speak with the lady, alone."

Artoo looked warily at Ahsoka, who nodded.

"It's okay, Artooie. You and Threepio can go."

Threepio and Artoo slowly walked away from the Dark Lord of the Sith and his former padawan. Vader looked at her coldly.

"I see my son has been busy attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order? However, that is something I cannot allow to come into being, so I give you a special one-time offer: Join me."

"Why should I join the Sith and serve you and the Emperor?"

"Well, besides that it is the smart thing to do if you value your life, we pay better, have an insurance program, and you get to travel and kill people with the Dark Side of the Force."

"Ooh, I'm _really_ intrigued." Ahsoka said sarcastically.

Vader didn't even make a gesture but the glass Ahsoka was holding shattered and crumbled into dust.

"And if you don't think that's impressive, wait until you see what I do with my hands!" Vader snarled dangerously.

"What I think is impressive is that the great Anakin Skywalker turned traitor to everything he held dear just because he wanted to protect the people he cared about. Now, if you will excuse me-"

Vader put a hand in front of Ahsoka, blocking her from leaving.

"Listen, girl, I don't know who you are and I don't really care to but if you continue mouthing off at me then-"

"It's me, Master Ani. It's Ahsoka Tano. Your former apprentice."

"…Snips?" Vader whispered in shock.

Ahsoka felt tears well into her eyes as she spoke.

"And I will continue mouthing off because you are no longer my master! You're a shriveled shell of a man who just is a coward who thought he lost everything! And you know what, you did. You've lost your son, no matter what he cares to believe. Master Luke may believe you are capable of coming back from the Dark Side, but you are just a monster!" She snapped angrily and full of hate.

Vader stared at Ahsoka in amazement, who braced herself for the painful reprisal. Vader shakily reached out for Ahsoka's face…

…and brushed away her tears gently.

"Snips, I was there at your trial during the Purge. How is this possible? I saw you die."

"Master Yoda told me that what you must have seen was a clone. He replaced me with a clone to keep me protected and that no one would ask too many questions."

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see that if the rumors were true…that you were just a monster and that the good, no, the great man known as Anakin Skywalker was really gone." Ahsoka cried again.

"I will posit a guess that you have seen all the footage of me killing Jedi?"

"Yeah. Including Master Plo. How could you be so…so…I just can't believe this has happened. I'm a living ghost and you…you're a-"

"Monster?"

"I was going to say something else since you told me to not use the same words all the time in order to keep the conversation lively, but yes. You are a monster."

"…Does Luke talk about me?"

"He says there is hope for you. That you might come back to the Light."

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint."

"Oh sure? Because you have a better job, get paid exuberant amounts of money, have a cool suit of armor, and get to kill people with the Dark Side?"

"Because you are right. I am a monster."

Ahsoka was silent and the only noise in the immediate area was just Vader's labored mechanical breathing. Finally she spoke.

"So that's it? You've just given up? I don't get it. The man I respected as Anakin Skywalker…the man I-I-I-"

She finally said it.

"The man I loved with all my heart wouldn't be this stupid and full of self-pity."

Vader stared in shock at Ahsoka.

_"You…**love**…me?"_

"I said loved. As in past tense. The man I knew as Anakin Skywalker is gone."

Vader couldn't believe what he said next.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes, Ahsoka. I know you better than that. Even If I don't believe it, there must be a small shred of you that believes that I am capable of redemption and worth saving."

Ahsoka started to cry again and Vader reached to brush away her tears. She stepped forward suddenly and pressed herself up against her former master's armor.

"Just hold me." She whispered softly.

Vader did and used the Force to make sure no one noticed them embracing. He whispered softly to Ahsoka.

"Just this once, Snips."

* * *

Leia and Taardi were talking calmly with a couple of high-ranking members of the First Bank of Aargau as Threepio and Artoo walked over without Ahsoka. Leia spoke to Artoo quietly.

"Where's Ahsoka?"

"Um, Vader showed up? Ahsoka is talking with him."

"Oh force. That's not good."

Artoo was silent then spoke.

"We need to keep protecting the Viscount from the Assassins. I think Ahsoka will be alright."

"You _think_? That doesn't reassure me…but I trust her to do the right thing."

* * *

Ahsoka sighed softly as she sat down on the foot of a bed in her room in the hotel. Vader took off his helmet and mask softly, revealing his burned and scarred face. Ahsoka then spoke.

"Why don't you get your face fixed up? They reportedly have treatments for that now."

"It reminds me of what I have done. For better or for worse, these scars are a part of me."

Ahsoka kissed her former master on the lips. His skin was cold and took a lot of strength not to shudder. Vader tenderly brushed one of Ahsoka's tendrils and spoke surprisingly softly.

"It's okay to shudder, Ahsoka. I won't be offended."

"Sorry…"

She undid her top and pulled her skirt and stockings down softly before removing her boots. She stood before the Dark Lord of the Sith, her former master, fully nude. Ahsoka then pressed herself up against the Dark Lord's body and they fell onto the bed.

* * *

The six-eyed assassin had disappeared from Threepio, Artoo, and Leia's sight. While Viscount Taardi was still wooing the Bank Officials with extremely impressive (to them) stories of heated transactions, they had begun to keep an eye on the assassin to make sure he didn't try anything.

Unbeknownst to them, the Six-Eyed Assassin had transformed into a poisonous butterfly to sting Taardi on the neck and kill him instantly with a nerve toxin. Threepio suddenly noticed it.

"Well, that's odd? I thought that Yellow-Barred Heliconians with red wings are indigenous to Antares? Oh no, that's the assassin! He's going to kill Taardi!"

Leia gulped.

"Oh force! We gotta do some-"

Threepio jumped onto the assassin butterfly, who was so surprised that he transformed back into his six-eyed form, and Threepio pinned him comically to the ground then marched him over to get arrested. Leia and Artoo exchanged looks.

"Well, that worked like a charm. More champagne?"

* * *

Ahsoka and Vader had finished and Ahsoka was staring up at the ceiling. A little voice in her head chided her harshly for disobeying her Jedi Training and yielding to her physical attractions. Another little voice chided her for completely fraternizing with the enemy and yet another chided her for just being a slut. But she ignored them…

Ahsoka finally spoke.

"How was I?"

Vader spoke softly.

"Fantastic…"

"You sound like you haven't had done it in a long time."

"I may be the bad guy, but I don't sleep around. I really only loved one person in my life and that was my wife…"

"So, you don't love me?" Ahsoka whispered.

"I could learn to love you."

Ahsoka sighed softly.

"I don't find this surprising that I am not offended by that statement."

"I wasn't…trying to offend you."

"It's okay…So, what are we to do about this?"

Vader and Ahsoka's hands intertwined delicately as Vader kissed Ahsoka on the neck. He spoke softly.

"I can think of several scenarios immediately."

"What are they?"

"One: This is just it. We don't sleep together anymore. It was a single occurrence and won't happen again."

"Highly unlikely."

"I figured the same thing. Two: You join the Lords of the Sith and become my apprentice. I can easily see you as a Sith."

Ahsoka shook her head.

"No. Not in a million years."

"Three: You join the Empire as my personal aide-de-camp or bodyguard."

"Again, not in a million years."

"Four: We run off together and make our own empire."

Ahsoka bit her lip, trying to remain strong.

"Stop…Stop it, Master."

"Five: We kill the Emperor, get married, and rule the Empire together."

"I said stop."

"Six…We get married and serve the Emperor loyally until death do us part."

"Never going to happen. Now stop."

"Seven-"

"I SAID STOP IT!" Ahsoka roared.

Vader was silent for a second.

Just a second.

"Are you sure? Maybe there is a little bit of a Sith in you, after all?" Vader chuckled.

"Don't say that. If you want to love me, don't say that."

Vader nuzzled her on the ear.

"Maybe you need to be open to change?"

"Master Ani, just stop. I-"

"Maybe you just need to see what the other side lives like."

"…Okay. Show me." Ahsoka found herself saying, "Put me into a vision of what my life would be like if I was a Sith."

Vader looked her in the eyes steadily.

"I'm not all that great at manipulating minds with the Dark Side…so you may have to help me out."

Ahsoka nodded, almost obediently.

"Okay."

"Close your eyes. And open them when I tell you to."

"…Yes, Master." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

Ahsoka felt a darkness fall upon her, like she was wearing a mask on her face.

"Open them."

Ahsoka slowly opened her eyes to find herself…

…Standing in a small room. She wore a jet black dress and veil over her face. In her hands were a bouquet of violet roses. She looked up and saw that she was in a traditional church and began to walk down the aisle. She saw Vader waiting for her, his body healed and his scars gone, even his arm and legs were good as new, dressed in black ceremonial armor. A priest intoned wedding rights and they were married. She never felt happier.

The next images, though, made Ahsoka want to vomit. She saw Luke looking at her with betrayal in his eyes as she beheaded him with her red-bladed lightsaber. Leia had the same look in her eyes as well as Ahsoka stabbed her in the heart. Threepio and Artoo, unable to be reprogrammed with their new bodies, were sent to Kessel to slave away.

_**"Stop!"**_

Ahsoka's mind whirled again and found herself back in her room on Aargau.

Vader lay on top of her.

"If you want to leave, I won't be offended." He spoke softly.

"I won't leave. But you are not to show me that anymore. All you did was convince me that being a Sith is the worse choice out there and that there is no glamor in it."

"…I never said that there was glamor in it. I only showed you the truth of the Dark Side. What did you think?"

"It was horrible after we were married. I was killing my friends…Master Luke, Princess Leia…Do you know?"

"What?"

"That Leia is your daughter?"

"…What?" Vader whispered in pure shock.

"She's your daughter. In that vision you gave me, she gave me the same look that Luke gave me-"

"Stop. That is not proof."

"But-"

Vader bellowed into her face.

_"I SAID STOP!"_

Ahsoka felt pressure on her neck and she gasped for air. Vader's eyes turned red and orange for a second then he realized what he was doing.

**"NO!"**

He let go of Ahsoka's neck with the Force and fell off the bed, curled into a ball, and cried.

"All I do is hurt. All I do is hurt. I am a monster." He began to sob.

Ahsoka shakily looked at Vader and began to comfort him. She didn't say anything, just let him cry into her lap.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

* * *

After the soiree at the Garden of Butterflies wrapped up, Leia, Threepio, Taardi, and Artoo, along with Vader's last assassin/valet, were to watch a display of holograms that depicted the military might of Aargau. The Valet was talking to Leia snidely.

"Bah, how dull. This display means little to an organization that can destroy whole planets. I believe you are aware of that, Princess Leia?"

Leia didn't rise to the bait, even with the Psychic Assassin attempting to increase her anger. So he decided to make conversation.

"By the way, Princess, I understand that your loan may not be finalized until tomorrow?"

"You know very well that the verification of collateral is a painstaking process of assessors and appraisal." Leia merely replied, secretly wondering how Ahsoka was doing.

* * *

Ahsoka was getting dressed in her room after her little episode with Vader. Vader, after his crying bit, had stayed for a little then left quietly without a word after getting dressed in that creepy black armor and mask. Ahsoka sighed and looked at herself in a mirror.

"Well…this certainly complicates things…"

There was a knock on the door and Ahsoka finished pulling on her boots and opened the door to see that there was a box waiting for her calmly with a note from Vader. She pulled the box in calmly and read the note first.

_Just in case you change your mind about being a Sith_

She opened the box and saw inside there was a bunch of tight black outfits that would leave little to the imagination. Ahsoka thought briefly of tossing the pile of outfits into a shredder, but then again, they did look kind of cool and, well, sexy.

Ahsoka bit her lip and decided to try one on that caught her eye big time. It was a skintight black leotard that had a slit in the front that revealed her abdomen, plunging neckline that revealed the tops of her breasts, a high collar and hardly any back, and also a nice red cape with spiked shoulder armor attached to it. Plus it came with high-heeled stiletto boots, red and black striped stockings to wear underneath, and fingerless gloves that went halfway up her arms past her elbows. Ahsoka then looked at herself in the mirror.

"Okay…this actually makes me look good." She commented.

She posed boldly and rather sexily.

"Fellow Imperials! Kneel before the new Empress! Lady Ahsoka Tano! Worship my beautiful body and lick my boots!"

Ahsoka began to strut her stuff like a supermodel, both looking and feeling extremely confident and empowered wearing the outfit. She struck another sexy pose and spoke again.

"Mmmmm, looking good!"

Ahsoka sighed and laughed and plopped down on the bed.

"Nice try, Anakin, but I'm not switching sides anytime soon."

She began to take off her new outfit then slowly stopped as she regarded herself in the mirror.

"Maybe I could try a few more on…What would it hurt?"

* * *

The Psychic Assassin observing the Aargauian military demonstration decided it was time to go to work fulfilling his contract to kill Viscount Taardi. He calmly sent out a psychic mind-control wave and took control of Leia's mind while making her remain quiet in the process. All that Artoo or Taardi would have noticed if they weren't watching the battle were Leia holding her head in pain like from a headache. The Psychic calmly implanted the idea that she wanted to push Taardi off of the balcony that they were standing on into Leia's mind and stepped back to watch the fun begin.

The next thing the Psychic found was himself falling off the balcony and getting impaled by a holographic rocket which caused him to die. Leia blinked and shook herself back into control of her mind and body.

"What just happened? I thought I just killed the Viscount!"

Artoo chuckled.

"I figured that the Psychic assassin would try something so I put a hologram of him onto Taardi and a hologram of Taardi on him."

"Thanks, Artoo." Leia smiled happily.

* * *

Ahsoka heard a knock on her door as she was pulling off another outfit and froze comically.

"Uh, who is it?"

"…It's Leia? What's going on in there?"

"Um…uh…"

"Ahsoka, are you alright? I'm coming in."

"Nononono!" Ahsoka yelped but too late, Leia walked in to see a rather naked Ahsoka.

"Whoa. What happened here? Answer truthfully." Leia commented, crossing her arms over her chest as she closed the door with her foot.

"Um…I sort of did _it_…with Vader."  
"WHAT?!" Leia shrieked in shock.

"I know! I'm a horrible person!" Ahsoka exclaimed, "I'm the most horrible person in the Galaxy! Well, actually, third most horrible if you factor in Vader himself and the Emperor. Please, don't tell Luke."

Leia glared at Ahsoka and spoke.

"Why shouldn't I? You slept with the man who killed Luke's teacher and stood by and destroyed my homeworld? Why shouldn't I have you arrested!?"

Ahsoka looked down at her feet embarrassedly.

"Look, I don't know how to handle this whole situation still. I found someone, even if he is my enemy, who was around the same things I have been through and who was my friend before. And…I love him."

"Oh Force…" Leia groaned, "You have a crush on-"

"I am in **_love_** with Anakin Skywalker, not a crush. Also, who are you to judge me!" Ahsoka snapped the last part.

Leia sighed.

"I guess you are right. I shouldn't be judging you…"

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Yes, but a sympathetic kind of mad."

"…Okay." Ahsoka mumbled, a little confused.

"Just…realize that sooner or later, you'll have to pick a side. Either us or Vader."

"I know…I just…I know." Ahsoka grumbled, "I think I should get dressed…"

"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea."

Ahsoka slowly pulled on her clothes and packed up her new Evil Lady outfits from Vader. She wanted to say what she told Vader about Leia.

"Um, Leia?"

"Did you tell Vader anything?"

"Nothing compromising."

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I know love myself, even though my type of love wasn't really taboo compared to what you are doing…"

"Yeah, Han Solo. You think you'll ever find him?"

Leia bit her lip then spoke.

"Yes. Because I love him."

Ahsoka finished pulling on her clothes and as she did, Artoo tapped on the door and Leia let him in.

"We got trouble. Vader demanded we meet with him at the abandoned space port!"

Leia sighed.

"I figured that would be the place for the showdown. Are you going to be okay, Ahsoka?"

"Yeah…I-I-I think so, at least."

* * *

Soon they were at the large and abandoned space port located south of the normal space port and Taardi was with them. Vader soon arrived and approached them coldly.

"Well, Princess Leia. You have successfully defeated my three assassins and protected the Viscount. But I am ordering you right now, forsake the loan and keep your lives."

Taardi spoke before Ahsoka could reason with Vader.

"You swine! You insult my honor! I will tear you apart!"

Vader punched Taardi with a fist and he was thrown with a little Force energy into a wall, that caused his arms and legs to pop out of his body, revealing he was a droid. Vader blinked in shock.

"What the?"

Leia crossed her arms over her chest.

"The Real Viscount died two weeks ago. We needed the loans for the fighters, so we decided to get the bank's help with a fake Viscount. I was hoping you would bump him off since we couldn't get him through Customs upon leaving."

"Impressive…Most impressive. I wouldn't mention this to the Police, though, as it will only do evil things to your credit rating."

"I guess we all remain quiet. You about 'killing' the Viscount and us about your liaison with Ahsoka."

Vader sighed and looked at Ahsoka.

"See you around, Snips."

Ahsoka sighed as Vader walked off. She almost went after him but remembered her promise to Luke…to fight the Empire to the end.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED!


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

* * *

Over the world of Chandrila found a considerable amount of Rebel Ships in orbit. Out of hyperspace came an X-Wing which had taken a lot of damages from laser fire. Two other X-Wings, bought with the loan from Aargau, flew over to the first X-Wing and, using tractor beams, began to maneuver it over to a larger ship. The three ships landed in the large hangar of the Rebel ship where the technicians began to take the data from the computers in the ship and remove the dead body of the pilot out of the cockpit.

Soon the report of the data had been delivered to General Riekeen, who read it grimly and silently before speaking to the people present.

"Has this data been verified?"

"Yes sir."

"Contact the Flurry, this is definitely a matter for the Jedi."

The Flurry soon arrived in orbit around Chandrila and Luke, Leia, Ahsoka, Lando, Chewbacca, Threepio, and Artoo were called in for a briefing with General Riekeen.

"In a nutshell? The Empire has built a second and more powerful Death Star in secret near the planet of Mustafar. And they have repaired the weak point that allowed us to destroy the first one at Yavin."

Stunned silence filled the room.

"So, what's the good news?" Lando finally asked.

"The Good News is that it is far from operational, so we need to sneak onboard and put explosives on board to destroy the new Death Star." Riekeen stated as he outlined the plan, "Commander Skywalker? You are to lead the infiltration strike team."

Luke nodded a response at that and replied.

"Okay, I'll take my usual team."

"Without your apprentice." Riekeen stated suddenly, "She needs to be investigated by the Rebel Council."

"What?!" Was the general reply.

Ahsoka looked at Leia in shock.

"You didn't-"

"I didn't-"

Threepio spoke up quietly.

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka, but you have brought this upon yourself for having a…liaison…with Darth Vader."

Luke looked at Ahsoka in shock.

"You-What?!"

A look of shame filled Ahsoka's face.

"I'm sorry, Master Luke."

"You slept with my father?!"

"I-"

"Don't speak. Just don't, Ahsoka." Luke snapped angrily, "I don't want to hear an excuse, Ahsoka, You had absolutely no right to fraternize with the enemy like that!"

Ahsoka began to cry quietly. Luke sighed and looked at two nearby Rebel Soldiers.

"Take her into custody pending a criminal investigation."

A second stunned silence filled the room as the Two Soldiers slapped a pair of binders on Ahsoka and escorted her off. Threepio started to say something, but Luke held up a hand coldly and spoke.

"Now, if there is nothing else, I think we have a galaxy to save."

* * *

Vader was onboard the _Executor_ Super-Star Destroyer when he heard a pounding on his quarters' main door. He calmly got up from his meditation position and opened the door to see about 50 Stormtroopers standing in the hallway, along with a considerable amount of Imperial Guardsmen in their red armor.

"What's this-"

"Lord Vader, you are under arrest for High Treason against the Empire." The Guardsmen's head commander spoke coldly.

"On what grounds-"

"You have been caught, on tape, associating with a Rebel who is the Jedi Apprentice of Rebel Commander Luke Skywalker."

Vader growled dangerously.

"Does the Emperor know of this?"

"He will. The data has been sent to him."

"Then until the Emperor officially says so, I am innocent of these charges and you lot just bought yourself a very painful death."

The Guardsman chuckled and took his helmet off, revealing his face to Vader.

"Anakin, I know you get what you want and do what you want for being the meanest and toughest bully on the playground…but like any bully or small time crook, your luck has run out and you have become yesterday's news. Having said that, are you going to come quietly or do we need to beat you for a while?"

"You're going to need to beat me since there is no way I intend to let this farce happen. Die." Vader thrust his arm out to strangle the Guardsman with the Force…

…and nothing happened.

"What in the…"

"I'm surprised you didn't notice the walls crawling with Ysalamiri on the way back from Aargau. We've put them in the walls to block your Force Magic."

Vader, in rage, lunged at the Guardsman and the other Guardsmen grabbed him and beat him with their staffs violently until he lost consciousness.

* * *

Emperor Palpatine was in his throne room and was looking over the information provided to him about the Dark Lord of the Sith. He looked at the Imperial Grand Admiral who had given him the information.

"Why shouldn't I just have you executed for interfering in a man's private affairs, Thrawn?"

"I am not Thrawn. Grand Admiral Thrawn's been dead for several months." The Blue-skinned man with red eyes' body shimmered and turned into a hooded being with a staff whose very presence made the Emperor quake in horror and drop to his knees.

"I'm sorry, Master. I never meant that personally."

The Hooded Man chuckled.

"Don't worry, you are not in trouble. Just get used to the fact that Lord Vader is beyond your reach for the foreseeable future. Now, in regards to your latest Planet Destroyer-"

"-Death Star."

"Whatever. The Rebel Alliance has no doubt gotten the data on it from that pilot whose life I personally snuffed out. I think it is time that you prepare a personal welcome for Luke Skywalker."

Emperor Palpatine nodded profusely.

"Of course, and after I turn Skywalker to the Dark side, the power I will have over the Rebellion and the Empire will be tenfold! I will have my personal fleet readied to go to Mustafar."

"Shuttle. You will take your shuttle with a small retinue of my men in the guise of your fellow Sith Lords."

"Oh yes, yes I understand." The Emperor stuttered quickly and called for his shuttle on a communicator. When he looked up, the Hooded Man was gone.

* * *

The First one stood on the roof of the Emperor's palace, watching the night skies of Coruscant silently. The Second one approached him out of thin air.

"Does he suspect?"

"No. He is a fool and has a peanut for a brain."

"What of the Dark Lord?"

"He has been contained."

"And the Dark Lord's mistress?"

"Arrested."

"And the boy from Tattooine?"

"This Empire wishes to have him serve them like their Dark Lord. They are fools for thinking that. He must die."

"Then he will. What of his sister?"

"No loose ends shall be allowed to remain open. She must die."

"Then she will. And the Emperor?"

"Accidents may happen."

"Good. I bring word from the majesty."

"What does he wish of me?"

"He wishes to say several things."

"Say them."

"Firstly, your loyalty and dedication to this project has been appreciated."

"Thank you."

"Second, with completion of this assignment, you are to return."

"Understood. Anything else?"

"The majesty wishes you happy birthday."

The One handed the other one a small box, which the other One opened to gaze upon the gift. The other One pressed it to his nose and inhaled, soft tears rolling down his face.

"Tell the majesty, I say thank you."

The One nodded softly and spoke his good-bye and disappeared. The other One looked down upon the mortals of Coruscant and tossed the gift he had been given to the street outside the Imperial Palace. He then looked at his hand and saw that there were five drops of blood from where he had pricked himself, each on one finger.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED!


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

* * *

A small Imperial shuttle that was owned by the Rebellion landed about a mile outside an Imperial Spaceport on the volcanic planet of Mustafar. Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and Threepio walked out and headed to the Spaceport. Lando and Artoo had protested that Luke had had Ahsoka taken into custody and had been not allowed on the mission by Luke. Upon entering the Imperial Spaceport, the group of Rebels were arrested by Imperial Stormtroopers and a figure dressed in a black hooded robe who ordered them taken up to the Second Death Star.

* * *

Ahsoka Tano was being escorted down a hallway to her cell when thick smoke filled the hallway and there were a few dull thuds. Ahsoka used the Force to get the smoke away and saw that Lando had knocked out the four guards.

"C'mon, we're going to help Luke. Artoo's got the _Millennium Falcon_ ready."

Ahsoka nodded sagely.

* * *

Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and Threepio were escorted into the Emperor's Throne room onboard the Second Death Star and saw that Vader was also being brought in with a pair of Ysalamiri lizards on his arms, negating his Force abilities. As they were walked into the Throne Room, Luke saw that the Emperor was speaking with a strange hooded man holding a staff that appeared to be made of crystals cut against the grain. The Emperor chuckled his demonic laugh as he regarded the group of people.

"So, as my friend here foresaw, the Rebels have learned of my new Superweapon and are trying to destroy it. It also appears that one of my most loyal servants has decided to sleep around with a Rebel Jedi. I think you lot are going to spend the rest of your short lives in total agony."

Leia spoke up fearlessly.

"You know that we are granted a fair trial. You can't kill us right now-"

Emperor Palpatine raised his hands to electrocute Leia with his trademark Force Lightning, but the Hooded Man held up his staff.

"Don't bother. I will destroy her."

Leia glared at the Hooded Man.

"Oh, yeah, you're such a brave man. Fighting against freedom and justice while killing an unarmed prisoner."

The Hooded Man approached Leia and spoke.

"Life Sucks and then you die, girl. Deal with it."

"Who are you?" Luke asked calmly, "I don't think you are a Sith."

The Hooded Man chuckled then spoke.

"You know what, Luke Skywalker? You're absolutely right."

He threw his staff like a spear at the Emperor and impaled him in the head, instantly killing him and causing him to collapse. The Staff flew back to the Hooded Man and he spoke like nothing had happened.

"I am not Sith. Nor am I Jedi."

"Yet you use the Force?"

"The Force? Is that the limit of your humanoid comprehension? I was informed that mortals were far more smarter than that."

"By who?" Vader asked.

"Even you don't know, Anakin? I am surprised that old Palpatine managed to keep our dirty little secret."

"Speak!"

"Since you are all about to die, why not just conform to the old code of villainy and tell all the secrets? I think I shall."

He ripped off his cloak, revealing he had two wings made of seemingly translucent rainbow lights.

"I am an Angel, but not of the Almighty Creator nor of the one who will remain nameless and fallen. As for my name…you may call me…Kurt Barlow, that's Kurt with a K, mind you. Pronounce it correctly and you won't die too painfully."

"What do you want?" Luke stated.

"The World. I want the World…and perhaps my face on the one dollar bill. The Majesty has promised me the first, at least, and I think I can talk him into the second."

"The Majesty? Who is he?" Leia asked.

"He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last…and he shall be as God…" Barlow commented as he made a gesture and took the binders off of the group and killed Vader's Ysalamiri, "It was he who came to me as I rotted in the fires and it was he who convinced me of better things to do. And being a psychopath, I had no problem with doing these things. The Majesty has given me tasks for the past few hundred years that have allowed me to control this galaxy. He originally wanted me to have your war play out until there was one victor, but he got bored because you lot took your sweet time about it so he's sending me and my fellow Angels to have some fun."

Vader looked at Barlow, knowing full well that he couldn't just attack him blindly.

"Who is this…Majesty? Name him!

"…He is the human equivalent of this machine in which you stand. The Ultimate weapon that can destroy a world without a single care. He was born human, but transcended into Godhood and it is he who seeks to rule infinity and beyond."

"That's not possible." Leia spoke.

"Your opinion is noted. As for his name? Never learned it. He just refers to himself as either the Crimson King or the One-Winged Angel. Rather poetic names, no?" Barlow commented.

Luke glared at Barlow and spoke.

"You made a serious mistake, though. You let us free."

"Eh, yes…but not that it matters. This Death Star is going to explode with the help of explosives which are being planted across it and have been armed about eight minutes ago. I won't die, since I can breathe in space, but you will."

The window in the back of the Throne Room shattered and air began to be sucked out along with everything else. As Luke, Barlow, Leia, Vader, Chewie, and Threepio flew out, they were grabbed by the Millennium Falcon's small tractor beam and dragged onboard. Luke sighed as he looked at Ahsoka.

"Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. You did the right thing, keeping me away from getting captured." Ahsoka smiled.

Lando looked at Barlow as the Second Death Star began to explode.

"Who's the winged guy?"

Vader lunged at Barlow and spoke.

"Dead meat!"

Barlow whirled and fixed Vader with a glare that caused Vader to scream in agony and pass out. As he did that, Luke and Ahsoka drew their lightsabers and rushed Barlow and cleaved off his wings. Barlow shrieked in pure agony as he turned pale white and grew fangs while his eyes turned blood red before disintegrating into dust.

* * *

A few hours later found the group of Star Warriors onboard the _Flurry_, considering what had happened onboard the Second Death Star with the Emperor and Barlow. Vader had been taken to the Flurry's medical wing as he was in a coma thanks to Barlow, so it was just Luke, Leia, Lando, Ahsoka, Chewie, Threepio, and Artoo talking in a meeting room. Ahsoka decided to ask the big question.

"Now that the two most important people in the Empire are out of the fight, what happens now?"

Luke shrugged.

"Well, without Barlow or the Emperor, the Empire is going to be in chaos so the Rebellion can start taking back worlds a lot easier. I spoke to the Rebel Council about all that had happened and they said we should use this to start locating Han Solo. They managed to capture a couple of bounty hunters who revealed that Boba Fett is taking a long route to Tattooine to lead us on a merry chase."

Leia smiled.

"So, we're finally going after Han? Excellent. What about Vader?"

"I have some questions to ask him after he comes out of the coma so we're taking him along with us." Luke commented.

Lando spoke up also.

"What about Barlow's mysterious master?"

"We'll just have to wait and see." Luke sighed, not really knowing what else to say.

* * *

_Into this wild abyss_

_The Womb of Nature and perhaps her grave_

_Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire_

_But all these in their pregnant causes mixed_

_Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight_

_Unless the almighty maker them ordain_

_His Dark Materials to create more worlds_

_In this wild abyss the wary fiend_

_Stood on the brink of hell and looked a while_

_Pondering his voyage_

John Milton

_Paradise Lost, Book II_

* * *

…_And it was clear that she couldn't go on!_

_The door was opened and the wind appeared_

_The Candles blew and then disappeared_

_The curtains flew and then _he _appeared_

_And he said,_

"_Don't be afraid_

_Come on, Mary"_

_And she had no fear_

_And she ran to him_

_And they started to fly…_

_She had taken his hand…_

_She had become like they are…_

"_Come on Mary,_

_Don't fear the Reaper!"_

_(Don't Fear) The Reaper_

_Blue Őyster Cult_

* * *

_The End?_


End file.
